The redhead downed her whiskey and shook her head. “What you’re doing iswrong. I’m going home. Good luck with your mess of a life.”
Good for her!! I was rooting for the good friend. But then I realized something. I threw my car in reverse and raced across town. I was afraid I was going to get a ticket but it didn’t matter. I couldn’t let Derek go on deployment believing a lie. When I got to his apartment, I realized how stupid this whole thing was. I didn’t even know his apartment number. I was about to leave defeated when I spotted one of the guys from the bar getting off of his motorcycle. I slammed my car door closed and shouted, “Hey!”
The guy turned around. I didn’t know his name but I knew he hung out with Derek. I had seen them together. “Can I help you?”
“I’m sorry to bother you so late,” I winced. This was insane. “But do you happen to know where Derek, uh, from the bar lives?”
His shoulders slumped. “I’m good to women and I can’t keep them. All Derek does is mope and grunt and he has them beating down our door every night!”
I ran my fingers through my blonde hair. I didn’t look bad with long blonde hair but I was thankful it was just another wig. “I own Halona’s and he left his debit card there tonight. I just wanted to return it to him.”
Recognition flashed across his face. “Oh, hey! I’m Brody, Derek’s roommate.”
I looked at my watch. It was nearing two a.m. “Nice to meet you, it’s getting kind of late, can we?”
“Oh! Right, of course!”
He led me to the back of the complex and for a minute I was worried I had stumbled upon the wrong guy. Then he unlocked the door and let it swing open. There was a light on in the kitchen. Could I trust this guy?
All right, momma. Help me, don’t let me walk into the wrong apartment. Protect me.
“His room is down the hall. First door on the left.” Brody threw his keys on the table and clicked the tv on.
I knocked on the door softly but there wasn’t a peep on the other side. I turned the doorknob and eased the door open. What was I going to find on the other side?
I found Derek but he was in the middle of a nightmare. Sweat slid down the side of his face and he fought something invisible on top of him. His sheets and blankets were a pool on the floor. He wore nothing but loose-fitting boxers. There were no tattoos on his chest but there were deep scars where it looked like his skin melted off. He tore at his throat and made a gurgling sound.
“Derek?”
Nothing. He continued to wrestle with himself across the bed.
I took a step closer. His face was beet-red and it looked like he couldn’t breathe. He was still struggling but making no noises.
“Derek!” I rushed to the side of his bed and grabbed his hands. He shot up off the bed in a panic and he missed my face by a few inches. His wild eyes searched my face before his body relaxed.
“Aiyanna?” He ran his fingers through his short hair and gave me a worried look. “What are you doing here?”
“Are you okay?” I wanted to reach out and touch him. To hug him. Anything.
He looked around the bed for his blankets and placed his bare feet on the floor. I looked back at his scars and he caught me staring. “I covered all the others with tattoos, but left these as a reminder.”
“A reminder for what?” I whispered in the dark.
“My failure.” My stomach dropped. There was so much pain in those two words it made my heart ache. He blinked a few times and frowned. “How’d you get in here? How’d you find where I live?”
“Brody.” I lifted one shoulder in a half shrug.
“He’s getting the hazing of a lifetime once we are overseas.”
“I told him you left your debit card at the bar.” I hoped that helped the poor kid.
“And he didn’t even check to see if you had my debit card, did he?” Derek pulled his legs back up and leaned against the headboard.
I shook my head.
“Why are you here?” His voice was groggy from sleep but his eyes were alert.
“Alex came to the bar tonight.” I didn’t know how to continue.
